After the Quest
by AramauFierySecretary
Summary: After Raven and Beast Boy get together, Starfire gets frustrated that she and Robin have not become more than friends officially. And it only got worse when Robin left to train. He returned a week ago, but still nothing changed. Starfire is a little miffed. The team, the whole city, the whole WORLD, is rooting for them. Why isn't Robin?
1. Phase One: Complete

**A/N: Hello everyone, I have returned with more Titan goodness. Season 5 _is_ coming along, I swear, but I needed a break. It's getting to a kind of dramatic point that not even a certain little someone (hint hint) can't fully solve.**

**Either way, enjoy the spiritual sequel to _After the Beast_, this time focusing on Robin and Starfire. **

* * *

The new _Jump City Jive_ had come in that morning, but this edition was special to Starfire. Every second Saturday of the month, they would publish the results of a poll they constantly had going: The Power Couple of the Month. As a hopeless romantic, Starfire eagerly awaited to see whom the citizens of Jump City had chosen to admire. Any celebrity couple was eligible, but for the last eight months, there seemed to be a stalemate over who got the top spot, usually by something as close as a two percent margin. It was either Raven and Beast Boy, who had been publicly outed on a date a few months prior, or…

Starfire looked over to where her partner in this month's Power Couple poll winner sat eating his cereal and reading through the _Gotham Gazette_. She and Robin had won. Again. This month had been one of the not-so-close ones - winning by ten percent over Beast Boy and Raven - and she understood why. Robin had returned from his month-long training expedition last week, and she had spent every waking moment she possibly could with him. The distance had been so hard for her, and dressing up in his costume had only lessened the ache slightly.

She watched as he flipped the paper over, mask never leaving the black and white print, and sighed wistfully, not touching her Frosted Flakes and sriracha sauce. Starfire had surrendered to her feelings for him a long time ago, even before the Red X incident, but it didn't make anything easier. In truth, it just hurt more. Jump City kept declaring them to be the best couple they knew of; why hadn't Robin noticed?

"Raven, add almond milk to the list, would ya?" Beast Boy called from the kitchen as he poured the last of the milk into his cereal bowl.

"I'll make a note of it, sir," the empath replied dully but without any venom from where she was perched on the couch. Starfire watched as Beast Boy dashed happily around the couch, steaming tea on a saucer in one hand and his bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios in the other, and sat himself beside his girlfriend with a peck on the cheek before handing her the tea. Starfire didn't need to see Raven's face to know she was smiling just a little as the couple ate and drank in silence. Cyborg had excused himself to use the restroom a minute before, so it was just the four of them in the room at the moment.

The rustling of paper caused her attention to shift back to her seatmate. Ever since the morning Beast Boy and Raven got together, Robin had been heeding her wish for him to stop avoiding her and scurrying away from her when someone entered the room during breakfast. He always sat right next to her, sharing his papers with her and talking to her about what his plans were for the day. But nothing else had changed. Even when he returned from his training, he'd simply returned her hug and told her he'd tell her everything later. No "I missed you." No "I'm so glad to see you again." Just… as much as he'd given the rest of their friends.

_Perhaps I am missing something_, Starfire reasoned, _or perhaps I am deceiving myself…_

Despondently, she rose from her seat and walked towards the door. Noticing the absence of body warmth next to him, Robin looked up.

"Starfire?" he asked, and she could hear Raven and Beast Boy look her way as well. She bit her lip away from him; she could hear his worry. She never left during breakfast, not before she'd even eaten and definitely not when Robin was still there. But this morning, the alien half of the _Jump City Jive_'s Power Couple of the month could not take the not-so-solitary solitude anymore.

"If you will excuse me, friends," she said politely, not turning around, "I must be going." The door in front of her opened to show Cyborg, and inwardly she frowned. She didn't want anyone to see her face right then - no doubt twisted in sadness and self-loathing - but she couldn't avoid him as she brushed past him and into the hall. She heard Cyborg call her name but she didn't respond as she powerwalked to her room.

* * *

The second the doors opened, Cyborg knew there was a problem. Starfire wasn't even pretending to be cheery like she had when she was getting ready to get married on Tamaran. She was downright sad and frustrated, and he could see it as plain as day. And he knew why.

So when she didn't respond to his call, he looked to his leader. Robin was looking back at him with utter confusion and shock, his mouth hanging open. It was at moments like these when Cyborg was frustrated at Robin's infatuation with his mask; he couldn't see what else was going on behind it, whether it was hurt or just plain surprise.

Cyborg then snuck a glance over to the couch. Raven's face looked predictably impassive with a hint of sympathy while Beast Boy looked concerned and frustrated. The other resident couple and he were not as dense as their illustrious captain, so one look told him they knew exactly why Starfire had left.

Which is why when Cyborg said, "Hey, Rob, Raven wanted to do some sparring practice this afternoon," Raven and Beast Boy leaped into action.

* * *

Keeping up to date on current happenings is imperative for any crime fighter. Batman had drilled that into Robin from a young age, and he kept that in mind every morning as he combed through each of his five newspapers with studious furor. New crime trends, gang movements, notable criminals arrested and released - all were crucial to know to keep his city and his team safe.

But for the last few months, reading the paper had become more than just another menial duty. Ever since Starfire had told him it had hurt her feelings when he'd get embarrassed to sit so close to her, he had been attempting to engage her more and teach her vocabulary when she asked. They would share each paper, he'd point out an important bit of information and she'd point to a strangely-worded sentence. He noticed that she soaked up the information like a sponge; about two months ago, _she_ had been the one to see the connection between missing cargo shipments at the docks that had been five months apart, and it led to a huge smuggling ring bust. It had made him proud to see her taking her responsibilities so seriously.

However, more than her progress in detective work, he had enjoyed her company. The warmth of her as she'd lean in to read something on the page he was holding, the smell of her hair when she leaned her head on his shoulder, her smile when she understood a new word or made similar connections he did, he really cherished their morning paper readings.

Which is why, when she rose from her seat without so much as a "Please excuse me," he could feel his chest tighten and his fingers go slack on the _Gazette_ he was holding.

"Starfire?" he asked. Was something wrong? Was she sick? She hadn't touched her cereal, she hadn't even tried to read the _Daily __Star_ or the _Gazette_ with him when normally he'd have to beat her off the Clark Kent articles with a stick. Once they'd finished the _Jive_, she'd just… stopped. Robin hadn't seen her act this strangely since her fake engagement.

"If you will excuse me, friends," she said politely, not turning around, "I must be going." Robin was stunned. She always told them everything that was on her mind. That was why he never worried about her. She was so open, so honest, that this one instance made a feeling of fear and… something else begin to bubble in the pit of his stomach. He watched in shocked silence as she brushed past Cyborg, his eyes fastened to the corner of the door she had last occupied.

His breathing became erratic; she couldn't be sick, could she? Is she all right? Did she get hurt? They hadn't fought anyone in three days, was she hiding an injury from him? Did she get bad news from Tamaran? He prayed she wasn't sick because there was nothing he could do for her when she was sick. They'd spent so much time together, maybe he got her sick with his earthly bacteria. Maybe she-

"Hey, Rob, Raven wanted to do some sparring practice this afternoon," Cyborg announced, and Robin's attention was jerked from his hidden panicked spiral. Robin blinked. Sparring. Raven. Afternoon.

"All right, sounds good," he said diplomatically, trying very hard to get himself back under his control. Beast Boy rose from the couch and took his and Raven's dishes to the sink, and Raven walked over to where Robin sat at the table.

"One on one sparring," she demanded quietly, "I don't want anyone watching me." Robin nodded; he was used to Raven asking for privacy when it came to more physical activity. She relied so much on her powers that she lacked a bit in hand-to-hand and she didn't enjoy looking like a fool in front of the others, and he understood that.

"Dude," Beast Boy called to Cyborg from the kitchen, "we still on today with Ross?" Robin's interest piqued at the name, but he tried his best to remain passive as he folded the _Gazette _and reached for the London _Times_.

"I think so, man, I'll ask," Cyborg replied, flipping open a panel on his arm as he headed to the couch. Robin was about to open his mouth to ask who Ross was when Raven saved him the trouble.

"Ross is their new gamer buddy. They met when they went to that midnight premiere of the new _Kingdom Hearts_ game. Yes, I ran a background check, he's clean. Goes to the all-boys boarding school just south of Jump, gets good grades, has had no contact with law enforcement," she informed him as she sat across from him with her book, and Robin nodded. He was fine with his team having friends outside of their circle, but he always insisted that they be thoroughly checked first for security's sake, and they were _never_ allowed in the tower. Not after a certain blonde geomancer.

"Have fun, you two. Give the kid my regards," Robin said, nodding. He thought the two of them spent too much time in the Tower, a little time with the public would be good for them.

"Should we invite Star? She looked like she could use a pick-me-up," Cyborg asked Beast Boy, but Robin's ears perked.

"Sure, Ross would love to meet her. Huge Starfire fan," Beast Boy answered as he dried his hands off on the towel by the sink.

"Sounds… great," Robin croaked gracelessly, "She could use some fun." The leader side of him knew he was right - she could use some more friends, and everyone would love Starfire if she got out more - but the human side of him didn't really like it. Robin's hands clenched involuntarily as he opened the _Times_, attempting to focus as worry and something...darker started to bloom in the back of his mind.

He completely missed the look the other three Titans shared, one that clearly meant, "Phase One: Complete."


	2. Phase Two: Complete

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, everyone. I went on vacation with my fiance~ and we had a wonderful time. So while I'm sorry, I'm not that sorry. ;) I'll try to keep the updates coming, but I've got 82 things on my mind, so bear with me. Enjoy! **

* * *

Starfire idly pet Silkie as she laid heavily on her bed. For once, she was actually facing the right direction with her head on the pillows instead of her feet in order to sit up a bit. Silkie cooed appreciatively at his knorffka's ministrations despite her lack of usual vigorous tickles; gentle pets were fine too.

"Why is Robin unable to see clearly, Silkie?" Starfire asked, and Silkie burbled a nonsensical response. "I wish to show him my affections without the going too far as Raven cautioned, but I have done all I that can think of."

Starfire started to count on the fingers that weren't stroking her pet, "I give him very many hugs, I compliment him when he has done something well, I do the watching of his back in battle, I purchase him trinkets when something makes me think of him, I tell him that he is my very best friend-"

She bolted upright, sending Silkie flying towards the wall. The silkworm bounced off it gleefully and crawled back up onto the bed so she could do that again. Starfire gasped, "I have told him he is my very best friend, Silkie, not that he means more to me! Do very best friends do all of those things too? What separates a best friend from a more than best friend?"

Starfire leaped out of bed, sending Silkie against the wall once more, and bolted over to her collection of movies. She had binge-watched most of the more romantic ones whenever she had felt sad or jealous of Raven and Beast Boy's dates, but perhaps she had missed something. Perhaps there were some sort of rules she needed to follow or a code to break?

Disc after disc, title after title, from _Cactus Flower_ to _10 Things I Hate About You_, flew over her shoulders as she helplessly dug through her collection. She finally reached the movies in the very back, the ones least likely to help her - _50 First Dates_ and _How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days_ among them - and she came up with nothing new. Starfire slumped face-first onto the floor with her feet under her bed and her arms splayed out to the side. Silkie took this as a perfect opportunity to snuggle on his knorffka's back.

"Oh, Silkie, what am I to do?" Starfire moaned into her plush carpet, "Am I to be forever the best friend and never something more? Is something wrong with me? I do enjoy being Robin's friend, I do! But… it is missing something, yes?"

Silkie gurgled in what she understood as agreement, and she sighed, making the tendrils of her hair near her face puff up at the diverted exhale. Her misery came to an abrupt pause as a familiar metallic rapping came from her door.

"Is there something you require of me, Cyborg?" She called, turning her head to the side so she could be more easily heard.

"BB and I are going to the mall and the arcade later and we wanted you to come, Star," Cyborg explained from the hall, "We think you could use some fun."

Touched my her friend's kindness, she floated over to her door as Silkie slid off her back with a happy squish. She opened the door to see both Cyborg and Beast Boy looking at her pleadingly, and she smiled. It was rare for the two boys to invite just her along on an outing, so she was happy to be offered the treat.

"I am most grateful for the offer, friends, but I do not know if I wish to go to the mall of shopping and-"

"Please, Star?" Beast Boy begged, "We've got a friend coming and he really wants to meet you, he's a huge fan. And we think you'll like him, he's a great guy."

At this, Starfire's eyes widened. Neither of them had ever taken her to meet one of their gamer friends, let alone a fan of hers. She was always curious about how they got to know people "on the line" but she never quite wrapped her head around it. The fact that they were pleading with her to go meet one of their friends meant that this was _extremely_ important to them. And even though she was still morose about Robin, she could never deny an important request made by two of her dearest friends.

"All right, I shall go," she replied, and the huge grins on their faces was reward enough for her.

"Great! We'll leave around 1, okay?" Cyborg confirmed, and Starfire nodded before the two ran off down the hall, chatting amicably about plans for lunch and what stores they wanted to hit. Starfire sighed; perhaps their new friend would keep her mind off of Robin. She hoped he was as nice as they said.

* * *

A quick ping on Raven's communicator indicated that it was five minutes until one p.m. Beast Boy had let her know earlier that "Thunderbirds are go," so she had spent a good bit of the morning preparing for her sparring match with Robin. Not only was it valuable training that Robin was more than happy to partake in, it was Phase 2 of their plan.

Right on cue, Robin entered the common room where Raven was reading. He looked pumped up and ready for a workout, like he always was before a one-on-one session, but Raven could feel his emotions like they were her own. Beneath the excitement and the determination, there was a lingering worry and guilt for the situation with Starfire that morning. _Perfect._

Raven pretended not to notice Robin walking over to the couch and eagerly kept her ears perked for the next person to walk through the common room door. Hopefully it would be-

"BB! Do you have Ross's copy of _Partners in Time_? I want to give it back!" Cyborg hollered down the hall as he walked into the common room with a small backpack in his hand. _Right on time_, Raven mused with an infinitesimal smirk. Beast Boy skidded in right behind him, waving the box of the Nintendo game in his left hand while he too balanced a backpack in his right. He was wearing his favorite molecularly-imbalanced casual outfit that would still allow him to shift, dark blue jeans with a purple polo and black sneakers, and Raven grinned at how handsome he looked.

"Right here! And I have his extra PS2 controller," Beast Boy said, motioning to his backpack. Raven noticed Robin smiling at their friends and couldn't help joining him; while she never quite understood the appeal of the racing and fighting games they frequently played, she had found herself entranced while she watched Beast Boy played through the latest _Mario & Luigi_ title so she couldn't fully condemn the practice. She just prefered RPGs to mindless violence.

"You sure you don't want to hang onto it, Raven? I'm sure he'll let you keep using it," Cyborg asked, rummaging in his pack and not looking at whom he was talking to.

"I'm sure. I've already finished _Shadow of the Colossus_, I don't need it anymore," she replied flatly. Another genre she had found enjoyable was the puzzle genre, and Beast Boy had relished teaching her the ins and outs of the more creative titles. But she had her limits, and she had reached them.

"Is this Ross guy the reason I couldn't find _God of War_ last week?" Robin asked, flinging his towel around his neck. Raven could tell he was getting a little impatient and, to humor him, she put down her book.

"Yeah, sorry, dude. We're getting it back today," Beast Boy explained.

"That's fine," Robin said genially, "So, Raven, are you ready to-"

"YO, STAR! YOU READY TO GO?!" Cyborg bellowed, and Raven could almost hear Robin's head snap at Cyborg's call. A wave of confusion and apprehension washed over Raven from Robin's direction, and she shared a secret wink with Beast Boy.

"I am nearly ready!" Starfire's matching bellow echoed down the hall. Raven noticed Robin gulp slightly.

"Star's going too?" he asked casually, and if Raven couldn't literally feel his mild rage and jealousy radiating off of him, she would have been fooled into thinking he didn't care that much.

"Yeah, Ross has been dying to meet her!" Beast Boy replied, his white fangs gleaming, "He's vice-president of his school's Starfire Fan Club, and since Raven likes to spar alone and Cy and I were going out, we figured she could tag along." Robin nodded tersely and motioned for Raven to follow him as he stalked toward the common room door. Raven lingered for just a moment, and her instinct had been spot on.

"I am prepared now, Cyborg," Starfire said as she walked into the doorway, and Robin froze halfway up the stairs to the door. Dressing casually was a treat for any of the Titans, but this time was definitely more of a treat for Robin than anyone else. Starfire had chosen an emerald green crop top with the words "No Place Like Home" scrolled across it in yellow-brick cursive, short light blue denim shorts that showed nearly every inch of her finely sculpted legs, and cork platform flip flops. Her hair was collected into two loose pigtails at the base of her skull, and her silver gloves and armband were still in their usual place. It was obvious that neither of them were expecting to see the other, so Starfire's face lit up for a moment before she remembered that she was kind of mad at Robin and frowned. But Robin's dumbstruck expression at how attractive she looked did not change as she walked past him down the stairs over to Cyborg and Beast Boy.

"Shall we proceed? I am eager to meet your friend. I hope he is as nice as you claim," she said, pointedly ignoring Robin's drooling stare. Raven felt a twinge of pride come off of Starfire that she could make Robin look so shamelessly at her, but it was dwarfed a bit by her anger and hurt. Beast Boy walked around to give Raven a kiss on the cheek before bounding out the door, and Cyborg hooked his arm into Starfire's in a gentlemanly fashion before complimenting her with a genuine, "You look great!"

"Thank you, Cyborg," she replied sweetly. Raven could feel the shy satisfaction of being complimented so earnestly radiating off of Starfire long after they left the room.

All of a sudden it was just Raven and Robin. Robin had followed Starfire with his eyes both times she had walked past him, though Raven noticed that his eyes had narrowed significantly at Cyborg's compliment. Now the two of them were just staring, Robin at the door and Raven at her leader. As amusing as his reactions were, she needed to get to Phase 3. She cleared her throat, and Robin snapped his attention back to her awkwardly.

"Training?" she reminded him, and he straightened to attention.

"Right." Robin stalked out of the common room with purpose and headed for the elevator to take them to the training room. Raven smirked at his back as she followed behind.

_Phase Two: Complete._


	3. Phase Three: Launch

It was a nice break when the Titans could go out in Cyborg's car and pretend to be real teenagers for a while. At least, it was for Beast Boy and Cyborg; Starfire had never been a normal teen by Earth standards (being a princess and an alien will do that). The boys blasted Journey and even tossed in a couple Avril Lavigne songs for Starfire on their way to the mall, and Starfire joined in when she knew the words, though only halfheartedly. The boys could tell she was still a little bummed, but they hoped their Operation would fix it - once and for all.

The twenty minutes to the mall passed in karaoke boisterousness, and soon the Titans were making their way into the large arcade/underage bar/restaurant, Escape. The facility took up a good fourth of the mall's square footage, and it used every inch of it. It was packed with classic arcade games, modern shoot-em-ups and rhythm games, mini-golf, a bumper car section, and laser tag on top of housing a full soda/milkshake bar, ice cream buffet, and restaurant. Freddy Wise, the 67-year-old owner and retired editor-in-chief of Blaze Comics, had strived to make a safe place for kids and teens to enjoy themselves and would usually personally ensure that any Titan that entered his establishment was treated well as a gesture of immense gratitude.

It just so happened he was up at the host stand when the three approached, and Freddy launched from behind to give his friends friendly bear hugs.

"Cyborg! Beast Boy! Starfire!" the older man greeted them jovially as he hugged Cyborg first, "To what do I owe the pleasure? Where are the other two?"

"Hey, Freddy," Beast Boy said, accepting his hug eagerly, "we're here to see one of our civilian friends."

"Ross Greene?" Freddy asked, hugging Starfire last. "He's here, I'll show you to the table. He told me he was having special guests, I didn't know he meant this special!" The retiree scratched his moustache and studied Starfire before saying, "Something on your mind, missy?" Starfire quickly shook her head. The jolly and rotund owner of their second favorite hangout spot was known for both his fatherly concern and for being an incurable gossip. If he knew that she was upset at Robin, he'd pester the leader to no end for making his "favorite little princess" sad.

"No, I am just anxious to meet their friend," she replied, which was true in a way. Freddy smiled and led the way into the bustling restaurant side, only slightly less busy than normal, and shot a wink over his shoulder at her.

"I think you'll like him just fine, Starfire," he said and pointed to a circular booth that was already occupied with a person. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her skull.

"Rob-?" she almost blurted before quickly covering her mouth with her hands. Sitting at the booth was Robin's near-identical clone, it had to be. The young man had Robin's same exact face, minus the mask, as well as the hair, even the same style. He was dressed in a navy blue blazer, white button-up shirt, and red striped tie with some sort of elaborate school crest on it, but Starfire could easily see that he was as lean as her leader under the clothes. The most shocking thing, though, were his eyes: slim, emerald green with flecks of brownish-gold around the pupils, with long lashes. Starfire was so stunned that she nearly missed the boy at the booth rising a little to reach his hand to her.

"Close. Ross," he said, and she placed her hand numbly in his, "Ross Greene. Gotta say, it's great to meet you, Starfire! I'm a huge fan!"

The poor alien was too shocked to speak properly so she just nodded before Beast Boy tugged her into the booth. Cyborg took his seat on the other end, next to Ross, and Beast Boy took Ross's other side, leaving Starfire on the end. Beast Boy ordered drinks for everyone, already knowing what Ross liked, and Freddy left to fetch them. Ross grinned over at Star's reaction while Cyborg and Beast Boy snickered quietly to themselves.

"I take it they didn't tell you? I've won Robin look-alike contests before," Ross said, gesturing to his face.

"They did not," Starfire answered finally, though she was not mad that they hadn't. It was a nice, but still partially painful surprise, but she couldn't deny that Ross's gentle smile was comforting in its own way. It wasn't Robin's smile, she could see that; Ross used a lot more of his brilliant white teeth than Robin did and his smile was much bigger but less heartfelt. Still, he seemed as nice as her friends had said.

"Anyways, proper introductions," Cyborg said, "Starfire, this is Ross Greene, student at Thomas Wayne Memorial Preparatory Academy for Young Men-"

"Tommy Prep for short," Ross supplied.

"-and all around awesome gamer dude. Ross, this is one of our bestest friends, Starfire. But I'm sure you know all about her." Ross wiggled his eyebrows goofily and Starfire couldn't help but giggle.

"I do. I'm one of the founders of the Starfire Fan Club at Tommy Prep," Ross said as Freddy delivered their drinks. Freddy definitely overheard this and raised his eyebrows.

"Didn't you boys do that children's hospital fundraiser last year?" the older fellow asked, and Ross nodded. "I would be happy to have you host it here this year, if you'd like, sonny."

Starfire's breath almost left her when she saw Ross's face light up with joy as she pictured Robin's in a similar expression. Ross replied, "Thank you, sir! That would be amazing!"

Freddy nodded and jerked his thumb over at Cyborg. "Tin Man here will give you my info, I'm sure. What can I get you kids to eat?" The party quickly ordered, but Freddy wasn't quite done. Starfire could have pinched herself for not being discreet enough; she could see the matchmaker wheels in Freddy's head turning as he looked between Starfire and Ross.

"You know, kiddo," he said liltingly, exchanging a teasing glance with both Cyborg and Beast Boy, "this beautiful young lady is quite the catch, ain't she?"

Ross seemed oblivious to Freddy's prodding and answered genuinely, "Of course, sir. She's one of the loveliest ladies I can think of, she's sweet, she's thoughtful, and she's strong." Starfire blushed at the compliments, and Freddy looked between the two of them again.

"Am I interrupting a date of some sort, guys?" he asked, and both Starfire and Ross began to stammer in denial while Cyborg and Beast Boy howled with laughter.

"Nah, Freddy, it's not a date," Cyborg wheezed, "Starfire was just feeling a little down, so we brought her along to meet Ross and get her out of the Tower, you know?"

"Why not make it a date, then? Handsome young man, lovely young lady, both being set up by their friends..." Freddy asked mischievously, but this time Ross interjected.

"Well, sir, I don't think my boyfriend would like that very much," he said earnestly, a little embarrassed. Freddy immediately began to apologize, but Ross waved him off. "It's okay. Starfire is just one of my heroes, and I'm just happy to meet her."

"I'm still sorry, sonny. Would a free appetizer soothe any ruffled feathers?" Freddy asked before answering his own question. "Yes, I think mozzarella sticks are in order. Have fun, kids!" The jocular owner almost bounced away, leaving a giggling Beast Boy and Cyborg, an amused Ross, and an absolutely confused Starfire at the booth.

"Please," Starfire began, "you meant 'girlfriend,' did you not? Your female companion?" She looked helplessly at the boys at the table with her, wondering if she had understood wrong. It wasn't her first time making a social mistake, so she wanted to be careful. Ross, however, shook his head.

"No, I meant my boyfriend. I'm gay, Starfire," he said, and Starfire's neck almost dislocated with how hard she tilted her head in confusion.

"You are… very happy?" she asked. Beast Boy stepped in to try to explain.

"Star, it's a slang thing. It means that… well… you know how I'm dating Raven? And she's a girl and we're different?" he started, and Starfire nodded. "Well, Ross is a guy who doesn't like to date girls. They don't make his heart go fuzzy, you know? But other guys do."

"So Ross dates other boys? And he has a steady relationship with another boy?" she asked, and Beast Boy nodded.

"You've been going out since sophomore year, right?" Cyborg confirmed with Ross.

"Yeah, and we're graduating in a few weeks," Ross replied.

"Whoo, not bad for a high school relationship, dude," Beast Boy whistled, impressed, and Ross blushed.

Starfire then turned her gaze back to Ross and stared at him for a moment before blurting, "How do you get a boy to like you as more than a friend?"

_Phase Three, Launched. Up to you, Raven._


	4. Phase Three: Complete

If Beast Boy ever doubted how much Raven loved and respected him, she knew that all she would have to say is, "I sparred alone with Robin for two hours because you begged me to help you play matchmaker," and Beast Boy would shut up. Robin was always ruthless in his training, something he picked up from his mentor, and it had served the Titans well every time. But Raven had never been very _good_ at it, no matter how often nor how long they practiced.

Once again, she was getting her butt handed to her. She was very thankful she had opted to take off her cape and belt; her feet would have tangled and her hips would have bruised on the gems as she went down on the mat again. Robin gave her a small smile and helped her up before declaring that they needed a breather. Grateful, Raven floated over to where she had stashed her towel and water bottle.

"You're getting better," Robin lied, and Raven shot him a look. As he did for all of their one-on-one sparring matches, he had changed out of his uniform into a red athletic shirt and black shorts, though his mask had not moved. He shrugged his more casually-dressed shoulders and said, "I mean it."

"Well, I suppose 12 knockouts in one hour is better than the previous 19 per hour," Raven grumbled ungraciously, and Robin laughed. _Good. Get him relaxed. Then strike_. Raven toweled off her rarely-exposed neck. She had chosen to deck herself out in black tight-fitting yoga capris and a royal blue tank top. It was nice to feel the air on her skin, but it also made her bruise more easily. She took the good with the bad.

"Your balance is way better, and your stamina has really improved. Just have to work on reflexes and form," Robin said nonchalantly, already heading back onto the practice mat. Raven raised an eyebrow but said nothing, wondering if Robin would catch the little implication of his stamina comment but doubting he would.

"Speed isn't my thing," she says, walking back onto the mat resignedly, "It takes time to meditate, time to use my powers. It's hard for me."

"I know, but think of it this way," Robin conceded, "If we can improve your reflexes, you can also put up barriers more quickly. It'll help a lot even when you're not going hand-to-hand." Raven nodded, stalling, waiting, praying.

Salvation came when the communicator's familiar tone rang through the room. Robin leaped for it even though it was Raven's comm. It took all of her training, all of her composure _not_ to giggle at how easily he went from serious strategist to desperately-not-jealous teenager. He flipped open the comm, and Beast Boy's face greeted them.

"Hey, Rae- Oh, I mean, Robin!" he said cheerily. Noises of clinking utensils, pouring liquids, and loud arcade games could be heard easily filtering into the quiet training room, echoing with the acoustics. "We just wanted to let you know we'd be a little later getting back. Ross challenged Star to DDR, and they're killing it!"

The screen of the little device panned away from Beast Boy's face and onto the aforementioned machine where one of the more faster-paced songs slammed out of the speakers. Both Starfire and Ross (she had been informed of how he looked long before) were absolutely tearing up the dance floor, getting high scores on nearly every step even with the breakneck pace. She could see Cyborg in the middle of a crowd of spectators cheering them on, but her focus was not on the dancers.

Robin did _not_ look okay. Sure, to the untrained eye, he was just Robin, the fearless leader. To even Beast Boy, he probably looked like he was wistfully watching the fun. But Raven could see - and even more loudly, _feel_ \- how not okay he was. She noticed his jaw muscles tighten into a clench, his fingers not holding the communicator clenching a little, the tips of his ears reddening.

_There we go._

But Robin was nothing if not professional, even when he wanted not to be, so he replied, "Looks like you guys are having fun. The kid looks good."

"You're just saying that because he looks like you, dude," Beast Boy teased as he brought his face back into focus, and Robin glared.

"I meant the dancing. Just keep an ear out for trouble, that's all I ask. We aren't the only ones who like Escape," he snapped, and Beast Boy shot him a smile before hanging up. Raven pretended to be distracted by some equipment while she let Robin compose himself for a moment before asking, "Shall we continue."

"Yeah." They got into position, and Robin started off. Raven took this as her chance.

"You okay?" She jabbed, and he dodged to the side with a follow-up punch.

"Yeah."

"Uh huh." She dodged his attempt at a punch and used her momentum to kick his side. He lunged out of the way.

"Raven, don't go there."

"Oh, but…" she said, using his distraction to trip him with her other leg. He didn't go down easily - never had - and backflipped away as she finished, "I must."

"Seriously, Raven, I'm not going there."

"Why not?" He slid into a more maneuverable position before attempting to grapple her, but she glided out of his reach easily.

"Because," he snapped, hooking his right elbow across his body in an attempt to regain his balance, "I'm not."

"Wrong answer." Raven saw her opportunity and she took it. Using all of her strength, she jerked his elbow backwards and forced him to turn around. She dug a knee into his back and sent him sprawling onto the mat, one arm nearly dislocated and the other paralyzed from the knee in his spine. Expertly, she used her other leg to restrain his thighs so he couldn't thrash out of her grasp. (It didn't hurt, exactly, that she was using a _smidgen_ of her powers to amplify her strength, but he didn't need to know that."

"Ow!" Robin cried, "Holy vertebrae, Raven, that hurts!"

"What. Is. Wrong?" she intoned, ignoring his whining.

"Noth-AGH!"

"You know that you can't lie to me, Robin," she said quietly, "And I don't like it when you feel like you have to." At this, Robin stopped resisting and just laid there with his left cheek laid in the mat. She, on the other hand, did not loosen her grip, because she knew that the second she did, he'd bolt. He'd done it before.

"Do you realize how much is on my shoulders, Raven?" he asked, and Raven merely listened. "I've got all four of you to look out for. I've got a city that can't keep itself out of trouble. And I've got… I've just got a lot, okay?"

Sighing, Raven got off of Robin, and he helped himself up. He started rolling his shoulders and was about to say something to Raven when he felt himself slammed against the wall of the training room, fastened there by cold, dark energy around his whole body other than his head. Startled, he looked at Raven; four red eyes had taken the place of her normal blue ones.

"So that's it, huh? Everyone gets to suffer because you do, baby birdie?" Rage rasped, floating closer. "Robbie gets to go 'woe is me, woe is me,' while his best friend doesn't think she's good enough for him! She gets to watch the whole world root for you while you keep on ignoring her."

"Raven, that's not-" He was cut off by Raven/Rage levitating herself up to his level and yanking his hair back, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"Yes, it is, Grayson," she snarled. "What is it, huh? Princess is too stupid for you?"

"No!"

"That orange skin is a turn-off?"

"No!"

"Maybe it's because she's not easy enough for-"

"No, Rage, stop!" Robin bellowed, but Rage only sneered, her shirt flickering between Raven's blue and Rage's red.

"Then what gives, birdbrain? Why are you so much better than us? Why don't you just tell her-"

"Because she can't get hurt AGAIN!" Robin screamed, and Rage backed off marginally. Robin glared daggers at the rogue emotion and spat virulently, "Her spine almost shattered when she saved me from Terra's attack. She almost drowned. And I can't- I can't see her like that again! She's… she's all I've got!"

Rage didn't have to say anything; the dam had broken, and Robin kept going, "I care about Starfire a lot, and don't you dare tell me otherwise! I care about her more than I've cared about anyone in a long time. But I'm her team leader, Raven! I CAN'T DO THAT! She can't mean more to me than the rest of you, I have to protect you too!

"I never stop thinking about her. I never stop hoping she's okay or wondering what she's doing. It killed me to leave for the training, and it took me so long to come back because I would get distracted thinking about her. I miss her when she's gone, I look forward to seeing her every day, so don't you dare tell me I don't care or that I want her to suffer!

"I know how she feels, do you think I'm blind? I know! And I can't! Do! Jack!"

With a blink of her eyes, Rage disappeared and Raven returned. She waved her hand and his shackles disappeared, leaving him sprawled on the floor, gasping with pent-up anger. She let him pant and shake for a moment before going over to him and smacking him upside the head. This got his attention, and he looked up at her, hurt. But his expression softened when he saw her smile.

"Starfire can take care of herself, dummy," she said with her Raven brand of monotone affection, "and she actually does worse when you're not around. She fights harder and better when you're with her. Don't you think she'd be able to take whatever comes at you both?"

Robin's mouth flopped open, but it closed again when Raven sat down cross-legged in front of him. "Beast Boy and I talked about something like this when we got together. He didn't want to lose me or turn into the Beast again, and I didn't want him getting hurt either. We eventually started training together, just the two of us, to come up with ways to watch each others' backs while still being effective. But you and Starfire… you already do that. You're just being an idiot."

Robin wished he had a comeback for that, but he didn't. He had noticed the ease and finesse the two had been demonstrating in the last nine months, but hadn't realized they'd been training together privately. While proud of their initiative, he did not take kindly to it being used to call him a moron for making Starfire hurt in silence.

"I… I just don't know what to do, Raven," he confessed, hanging his head. Raven rolled her eyes.

"Talking to her might be an effective first step," she quipped. She knew he likely wanted to snap something smart back at her, but instead he just dashed out of the room to shower and change. Raven grinned - _finally!_ \- and went over to collect their things and catch a shower herself.

Fifteen minutes later, she heard the roar of the R-Cycle and glanced out the window to see the bike speeding into the city.

_Phase Three, Complete. Phase Four is up to them._


	5. Phase Four: Complete

Dancing video games, shooting virtual bad guys, and all the ice cream her nine stomachs could handle (courtesy of Freddy's generosity and possible lingering guilt) could only distract Starfire for so long. As wonderful as it had been getting to know Ross and hanging out with her friends, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness every time she looked at Robin's face on the wrong body. She wasn't surprised at all to find that she could only walk over to the milkshake bar instead of her usual floating, but she'd been doing that all day. This trek, though, felt heavier, and she slid onto the barstool despondently.

A young server that Starfire knew was Freddy's grand-nephew despite not remembering his name came up and asked her, "What'll it be?"

"I suppose I shall have a mint caramel shake with blueberries on top," Starfire sighed.

"And I'll have a cookie dough with marshmallow topping," the voice of Ross intoned from behind her, and Starfire whirled around to face him.

"Coming right up," the bartender said, and Ross slid onto the seat next to Starfire. Over her initial shock, she turned back to the counter and rested her crossed arms on it despondently.

"Hey," Ross said, nudging her gently with his shoulder, "What's been eating you?" Starfire blinked at him in confusion.

"I have not been bitten by anything recently, though there was this rather unpleasant time where Beast Boy was demonstrating what lion tamers do in the circus where-"

"Star," Ross stopped her, trying really hard not to laugh, "I meant what's wrong."

"Oh." Starfire's throat caught fire with the sudden urge to cry. It was almost as if Robin himself were sitting beside her, asking her what was wrong with a smile on his face and calling her by the shortened name that he was the first to use for her. But she knew it wasn't. It couldn't be and it… didn't seem like it would ever be. She didn't even realize that tears had spilled out of her eyes until she felt the scratchy napkin that Ross was dabbing against her cheek.

"Hey, Starfire, seriously," Ross said gently, more worried than amused now, "what's wrong? How can I help?" She swallowed dryly, willing the tears to go back into her eyes fruitlessly, and sniffled.

"You never answered my question. How do you get a boy to like you as more than a friend?" she asked thickly. Ross blinked at her and pursed his lips.

"I'm sorry, I didn't answer because I didn't think I heard you right. You don't seem like the type to have boy troubles," he answered honestly, but that only served to make more tears spill from her eyes. "Starfire, genuinely, I'm sorry."

"I know. I am not angry…"

"But you're sad. What's going on? Did Robin-?" A choking sob at the mention of her leader's name answered his question for him, and Ross gritted his teeth. His hero, the kindest and most wholeheartedly sweet girl he'd ever met, the "one girl he'd go straight for" as his boyfriend jokingly called her, was crying because someone she loved hurt her.

"What did he do?"

"He has done nothing to me. And I suppose that is the… trunk of the problem?"

"Root. Tell me what's going on."

Their milkshakes were delivered, and Starfire sullenly sipped on hers as she told her story. She told him about coming to Earth and how Robin was her best friend and mentor, how he always looked out for her in both battle and in public, how she had feared for his life when the Slade hallucinations had been happening, how they had danced and hugged and shared special moments in the morning over the papers… She told him about her near-engagement and how Robin had managed to rescue her. She told him how he came for her during her Transformation. She told him about how miserable she had been when Robin had left for his training and how… she almost seemed emptier when he came back because nothing had changed. If anything, he seemed more distant.

Now, Ross had never been a Batman or Robin groupie. In fact, he didn't really get into the superhero scene until the Titans were formed his freshman year of high school. But hearing all of this from a heartbroken alien princess made him both admire Robin's dedication and hate his obliviousness. Both of their shakes were nearly finished, and they silently scooped out the remains from the metal mixer cups provided as Ross pondered.

"Hey," he started, and her ears perked, "Are you sure he's The One?"

"The One?"

"Are you sure he's the only One for you? The only one you could ever care this much about?" he asked gently. "I know that's a lot to ask of any teenager, but different circumstances mean different things. You two have risked your lives for each other countless times. You tore up the floor to save him from his own mind. He went into space to find you. Both of you nearly died fighting Terra. So… you may have a better perspective on this than anyone else. You guys have gone through more than most adults. You've saved our city and countless lives. Yeah, you guys are still teens, but that doesn't mean you're not mature enough to know what love is. So... Is he The One?"

Starfire silently considered his words. Her milkshake had gone the way of her stomach, so she had nothing to occupy her attention other than her thoughts.

But she already knew the answer. She hadn't needed to think about it at all.

"I am sure that he is The Only One."

Ross nodded, only slightly questioning her judgement before saying, "Then hang on. See, Starfire, the way things work on Earth is that most guys aren't like me. Most of them like girls. So, I get bullied a lot for being different. People still hate me, though luckily it's not as bad as it used to be." He almost felt guilty about making Starfire look even sadder as he spoke, but he had to tell her.

"But see… Nate makes me forget about that. When I'm with him, I don't remember all the horrible things people say or the years of suffering alone in silence. I don't think about the days where I worried if I would be alone forever or if… my parents were better off not having me around, you know?"

Starfire didn't look like she fully understood, and Ross felt it was better she didn't, so he continued, "Nate makes me feel like a full person. He stands by me when we're bullied and called names, and we laugh about it. He treats me like I'm special, like I'm the most precious thing to him. And I don't think about the hard times. That's what it's like when you've found your One, I think. Yes, those bad things all still happened, but they don't hurt as much when you're with them. They don't matter as much because you're with a person who loves you for who you are now _because_ of all those things that happened. So… if he's worth it, if Robin is The One, the pain right now won't matter nearly as much when you're with him."

The alien stared at him, and he couldn't tell what she was thinking. But he got a pretty good idea when she lunged at him and wrapped him in a bone-crunching hug, burying her face in his shoulder.

"I am so very joyful that you have found someone so wonderful, friend. Thank you for your kind words," she sniffled into his blazer, and he hugged her back gently. His hero was hugging him and was happy for him. He couldn't wait to tell Nathan.

His elation, however, was cut short by a very crisp voice saying, "Star?" in a tone that he knew sounded pained. Ross turned his head and, for a brief moment, he wondered if he'd accidentally stepped in front of a mirror.

Robin had arrived. Robin had seen them. And if Starfire hadn't known he was gay, he would bet money that Robin didn't either.

_Oh, God, please don't kill me…_

Starfire had heard the voice too, and she lifted her head and loosened her arms from the hug to look towards the source. Her chest tightened; _her Robin_ was here. His face was stony, and his mask was set in place, glaring at the two of them. He wasn't in his uniform; instead he had donned black jeans, a forest green undershirt, and a red button up shirt that he had left unbuttoned. His hair remained in its normal position, but Starfire could smell that he had recently washed and gelled it, likely after his workout with Raven.

"Robin?" she asked, half-unsure that she wasn't looking at another doppelganger. Robin, however, diverted his glare over to Ross, who had released from the hug and was looking kind of terrified.

"Ross, I presume?" he asked, his voice very clipped in an effort to maintain composure. Ross could only nod. "Nice to meet you. Beast Boy and Cyborg have appreciated your company."

"Uh, same here. They're great dudes," Ross said warily. Robin then directed his gaze back to Starfire, and, if Ross wasn't mistake, he looked hurt.

"Star? Could I… talk with you for a while?" Robin asked, and Ross instantly knew that seeing Starfire hugging him had hurt him immensely. He almost blurted out that he was gay to spare the poor Boy Wonder more pain, but Starfire spoke before he could.

"What is it that you need to speak with me about?" she asked, her arms loosening and dropping from Ross as she turned her full body toward her fellow Titan.

"Just… please, Star?" Robin croaked, and any anger or hatred Ross had felt at Robin for hurting his new friend quickly evaporated. The man sounded like he was about to drown. Ross breathed a sigh of relief when Starfire nodded and Robin took her hand and led her silently out of the restaurant. From the window facing the exterior of the mall, he could see the two of them get on Robin's R-Cycle and speed off (after donning helmets, of course).

Ross sat back down on the barstool and sighed with a smile. Even though he had feared for his life for the tiniest of moments, this whole Operation: Power Couple thing had been totally worth it. He caught Cyborg and Beast Boy's attention (they had been oh so casually lingering right on the other side of the bar out of Starfire's line of sight) and gave them a thumbs up.

Beast Boy pulled out his communicator and rang Raven. She didn't even get out a greeting before he said, "Phase four is done. Wanna come join us?"

A small puddle of black soon appeared on the barstool next to him, and Raven melted through it, grabbing Beast Boy's hand and flagging Freddy down. Ross walked over to join them, and the four plus the jovial owner soon clinked glasses, congratulating themselves on a job well done before ordering themselves some well-earned dinner.


	6. Operation Status:

**Hey, everyone! I'm so sorry I've been behind. I've moved houses TWICE and I got a job transfer... I've been stressed so badly and haven't had time to work on them. But hopefully this will make up for it. Thank you for your patience!**

**Please let me know if you want a bonus chapter or two. Or maybe a double date fanfic? ;)**

* * *

Robin never liked to flaunt the special privileges he got from being the semi-adopted son of Bruce Wayne or the protegee of Batman, even if the different perks were usually mutually exclusive. He preferred to make his mark on his own, earn his own perks, and have his name be the one people think of rather than Bruce's. Which was why, when they arrived at a familiar Wayne Corp. building in downtown Jump City, he elected to use his grappling hook to get the two of them up to the top rather than go through the front door and scan his ID badge. Almost as if she could read his mind, both he and Starfire easily climbed up to sit on the edge of the E once they reached the roof, and the fact that she hadn't just flown up was not lost on him. It was as Raven/Rage had said; he'd hurt her.

They hadn't said a word to each other since they left the restaurant except for him to make sure she was holding onto him tight enough; he had received a nod in response. So now that the two of them were completely alone, able to watch the setting sun in peace, he knew he really needed to say something. Robin looked over at her. She looked radiant everywhere - her orange-tinted skin glowing warmly in the setting sun, her fiery hair swaying back and forth in the breeze, her eyes reflecting the fading light - except her face, which still maintained the stonily contemplative expression it had had on it since he found her hugging… Ross.

Robin pushed thoughts of the other man out of his mind. Starfire technically was not his girlfriend, and even if she were, she was her own person whom could hug whoever she pleased. She was a hugger, he knew this. But still… it had been like seeing a vision of what he wanted so badly, so close in front of his face, but it wasn't real. It had hurt.

"Star," he started, looking ahead and not at her, "do you remember-"

"I remember when last we were here, yes. Though I do not know why we are here now." Her voice was quiet and sad with a little hint of confusion. He sighed.

"I come up here sometimes when I'm wishing too much."

"Wishing?" She asked with evident curiosity, though her stare was still turned from him.

"Wishing things were different. Wishing that I could…" he swallowed the end of his sentence. He wanted desperately to say what he wished he could do.

"Starfire, I'm… I'm still really sorry about… what I did. What I thought I had to do," he apologized quietly, and he could almost feel her gaze fall onto him. "Slade had you all in the palm of his hand. He could have killed all of you. I… I couldn't lose you. Any of you."

"And I understand why you became his apprentice, Robin, as I did then," she said kindly. He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes through the mask with one of his hands.

"Sometimes, if I hear static, I'll feel like he's in my ear again, telling me to hurt all of you. I still dream about him showing me those screens with your vital signs, ready to kill you, Star," he admitted, and for a second he thought he felt her hand brush against his arm, but he continued. "And then, when I thought he was back… I was so terrified of him hurting all of you again. That's why I had to hunt him down, I… I couldn't lose you all again. I couldn't bear it."

Robin turned to meet her gaze, which had lost its stoniness and been replaced with a look of quiet pity and longing. He gritted his teeth, readying himself to admit his biggest weakness. "I couldn't risk losing _you _again, Star. And… that's what it always comes back to. Losing you, you going away, you getting hurt, you… Terra could have killed you. She almost did. She was aiming for me, but you pushed me out of the way and I watched you almost die as you fell off that cliff!"

"But, Robin, I-" He cut her off by taking her hand in his. He turned his torso to face her and pulled her in for a hug, keeping the hand that was holding hers to his chest and wrapping his other arm around her tightly.

"I'm sorry, Starfire, for making you think I don't care. I'm so… so sorry. I… I just didn't want you to be a casualty again. I didn't want anyone to hit you when they were aiming for me again. I'm sorry I pushed you away, but I thought… I thought that was the only way," he admitted quietly into her hair.

Starfire reached her other arm around him to complete the hug, and he felt her cheeks lift up into a small smile against his neck. "I forgive you, Robin. But… why do you fear that I will go away? I have made you a promise that I will not leave you. Do you not trust me to keep my word?" Robin could tell she wasn't quite talking about leaving in the sense of her getting hurt or dying, so he answered her as such.

"Star, I'm not like the rest of you. I don't have incredible strength or flight or any of the other powers that make a superhero. I won't be able to keep up with you all forever. Especially you! You could do so much better than-" He stopped, not fully wanting to betray himself, and bit his lip for a moment.

"I don't want the day where you all don't need me anymore to come. I guess… I was just trying to protect myself for when it did," he replied guiltily, dropping his arms from where they were and placing his forehead on her shoulder. He could smell the faint strawberry mint scent that was innately Starfire as he paused there, but it was little comfort this time.

She, on the other hand, hugged him to her more tightly, and said, "You are correct. You do not possess the qualities of a 'normal' superhero. But that is why you are so precious to me, Robin. Your intelligence and determination has won us so many battles, not because you possess any powers beyond a normal human. And even then, even with all of your responsibilities and limitations, you still take the time to care for us. You teach me, you are patient with me, you make sure I am not alone. You are… the greatest friend I have ever had, and…"

Robin felt tears drip onto his back as she finished, "And I care more for you than anyone else. I will not leave you for something 'better' because there is nothing better. And I will never allow us to experience the rekmas. We shall not be broken. Not only our friends, but the two of us as well."

He couldn't speak; his whole body was too full. So he settled for clutching her to him tightly in the most primal hug he could muster and burying his face in her shoulder as he trembled. A few words from her could disrupt his entire being for the better, as it always had been. What had he done to deserve her in his life? What would it cost to tell her that he wanted her there more than anyone else he had ever met? He didn't care about the answers, but couldn't voice how he was feeling as the air was being squeezed out of his body by the weeping alien with the iron vice hug.

They sat like that for a long time, well into darkness, but they didn't notice until the E beneath them lit up and they jumped apart at the shock. For the first time in several minutes, he could see her eyes. They were as genuine and honest as always, but they were glistening with the tears he had felt her shed. But suddenly something changed, and her face lit up as if she had gotten an idea. She pulled them both up to a standing position and led him over to the inner edge of their alphabetic platform. Then she returned to where they had been sitting and stepped off as if she were about to fall, but instead she hovered and turned back to him.

"I have been curious about something for quite some time," she admitted, and Robin inwardly sighed in relief that she could fly again. That relief dissipated when she said, "What were you going to tell me when I surrendered myself to you? What were you going to say before Slade ordered you to attack?"

"Starfire, is this really a good idea?" he asked with a gulp. He remembered what he had been going to say; it had haunted him for days while he had continued to steal for Slade, and those words had never died in his mind. He just never thought he'd be asked to say it again. But here they were physically in the same position they had been in years before, still distant but in a different way.

Starfire charged a starbolt and pointed it at him, assuming the position from when she had stopped him in his tracks.

"Do. Not. Move."

_We're really doing this, then._

Robin cringed at remembering Slade's attack order, but mimed pointing the thermal blaster at her once again. They glared at each other for a brief moment, the air charged no longer with enmity but with confusion and pain, before Starfire's eyes softened again.

"Robin, you are my best friend. I cannot be in a world where we must fight. If you are truly evil, then go ahead. Do what you must." She let go of her attack and bowed her head just as she had then, and Robin put his hand down and spoke on instinct.

"Starfire, no! I would never hurt you if I could help it, but Slade-" he started, but she cut him off with a pleading stare.

"Slade can do nothing to me! Any pain I endure is nothing at all!" she cried. "But if this world - if _my_ world - is without you, then _I_ am as nothing, Robin." She smiled.

And Robin ran across the letter and grabbed her out of the air into a kiss.

Robin was not impulsive as a rule, but the minute his bare fingers clutched her cheeks to bring her down to his level, he swore he'd jump off a bridge if she thought it sounded fun. Robin brought her lips to his (happy with her little squeak of surprise) and crashed them together with years of pent-up passion. She was taken aback for a moment, he could tell, but soon wrapped her arms around his neck and back to return his affections.

He kissed her mouth, her cheeks, her nose, her eyes, anywhere he could get to because he couldn't stop pretending that he could live without her anymore.

"Robin…" she mewled in between kisses, and he gave her a few more before he rested his forehead on hers.

"Star, I love you," he breathed, still panting from his release. She smiled.

"I love you as well," she replied, and gave him a kiss of her own. The happy glow faded a bit from his masked eyes, though, when he swallowed.

"What about Ross?" he asked thickly, and Starfire pulled her head back in confusion.

"Ross?"

"You were hugging, and I know you hug people a lot, but-"

Starfire silenced him with another kiss, this one just as fierce as his first one, before giggling, "Robin, Ross is the happy! Wait, no, that's not the right word… the gay, yes?"

Robin's stomach dropped out of his body with both embarrassment and relief as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a more chaste kiss and a hug… a hug she eagerly returned.

"I'm not letting you go, you know that, right?" he whispered softly into her ear, relishing in the warmth of her body.

"I was hoping so," she replied with a sigh and a squeeze.

_Operation: Power Couple. Status: Complete._


	7. Post-Op Debrief

"Where are they?" Beast Boy fretted.

"They've been gone for a long time," Cyborg's own worry echoed Beast Boy's.

"They're big kids. They can take care of themselves," Raven chided as a lightbulb popped in worry.

The three remaining Titans had escorted Ross home before his nine p.m. curfew and bid him farewell with many promises of more hangouts that included his boyfriend hours ago. Now it was close to eleven, and they had not heard a peep from their newly-paired roommates since Starfire and Robin had left Escape around 4:30. The boys had distracted themselves for a bit, playing _Lego Star Wars_ and fussing over who should get how many of the in-game coins, but it felt a little half-hearted when they were constantly looking at the clock. Raven had set up camp next to Beast Boy, spread out with her feet on his lap and her shoulders resting on a pillow on the other edge of the couch, and she had read the same page over and over, unable to focus.

She knew she could trust Robin and Starfire to be safe; they were two of the most capable on the team. So Raven had no idea why she was so anxious for them to get home.

"What if we messed up?" Beast Boy piped up, voicing her own private concern. "What if he got mad because of Ross and they're fighting and one of them died or got blown up or something?"

"Uh, I don't think it'll go to that extreme, little man," Cyborg replied, "but they may have gotten a little fed up with us. Maybe we shouldn't have gotten involved, but…"

"DUDE! If we hadn't done anything, Starfire would have kept crying!" Beast Boy defended his plan with all his might, and Raven smiled. While she hadn't approved of the initial plan - it was a lot more elaborate - she had adored the intent behind it, especially when he had detailed to everyone how he could hear her cry some nights since their rooms were next to one another's.

"I know, man, but people don't like being messed with sometimes," Cyborg countered gently, and Beast Boy huffed and sat back in his seat. Raven nudged him with her bare foot, and instinctively he grabbed and massaged it. She sighed happily before she spoke.

"It is up to them whether or not they get mad at us," she said sagely, "but I'm sure they will know that there wasn't any malicious intent behind it."

"We know."

The three pondering on the couch spun around in their seats to see Starfire and Robin standing at the doorway, their faces beaming and their hands clutched tightly together.

Raven was amazed that no one leaped over the couch in order to demand answers. She was proud that the two boys by her side had matured enough that they didn't even start in on the good-natured ribbing. There were simply smiles of acknowledgment all around and quiet shuffling to bed for all five.

They had almost gotten away clean until Beast Boy called out to Robin, "DOUBLE DATE NEXT FRIDAY AT CHEESECAKE FACTORY NO SKIPPING!" before shutting his door tightly behind him. Starfire giggled as she went into her room while Robin looked helplessly at Raven. She just shrugged.

"He's been dying to say that for eight months," she explained, and Robin sighed.

"Okay, yeah, I took a while…"

"Dude, the newspapers caught on way before you did," Cyborg quipped as he walked past the two on his way to his own charging station/bed, "and Beast Boy was getting salty about losing to you guys all the time when you weren't even together."

"Wait, this was Beast Boy's idea?" Robin asked genuinely.

"For the most part, yes," Raven affirmed, putting her hand to her door. "He has some good ideas in his head every once in a while." With that, she entered, leaving Robin alone in the hallway by his door.

He was going to treat at Cheesecake Factory. It was the least he could do.

* * *

**I have an idea for one last story in this universe/timeline. And yes, it involves Cheesecake Factory and the double date. Hee hee hee!**


End file.
